Veteran Russian sweeper Viktor Onopko - winning his 100th cap - used all his experience to cut out Inamoto's long ball which threatened to put Takayuki Suzuki clear.

The game was being played at a cracking pace and on 16 minutes, teenager Marat Izmailov had Japanese hearts in their mouths when his shot curled just wide of the post with goalkeeper Seigo Narazaki groping.

Despite the pace, two well-organised defences kept the attacks at bay, but Japan opened the Russians up on 27 minutes.

Koji Nakata outstripped Andrei Solomatin and his low cross was palmed out by Russian keeper Ruslan Nigmatullin as far as Hidetoshi Nakata who blazed over the unguarded goal from 18 yards.

But the co-hosts maintained the breakneck pace and got their reward on 51 minutes with a beautifully constructed goal.

Koji Nakata's left-wing cross was smartly laid off by Atsushi Yanagasiwa to Inamoto who found himself space in the crowded area to coolly lift his shot over Nigmatullin.

Substitute Vladimir Beschastnykh was thrown on in the 57th minute and should have scored with his first touch as he latched on to a flick on and rounded Narazaki, only to bury his shot into the side-netting.

Gaps were appearing in both defences and Yanagisawa chested down Hidetoshi Nakata's measured long pass, only to blast over from 12 yards.

Japan's confidence was sky-high and Hidetoshi Nakata almost doubled their lead on 71 minutes with a screaming 25-yard shot that shuddered the Russian crossbar.